(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water tank and to a filter cartridge connection element which can be connected to the water tank and more particularly for tanks such as coffee machines, water preparation appliances and devices which generally have a filter cartridge connection in the interior of the water tank.
(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
The use of filter systems is known to treat untreated water which preferably originates from water channeling supply systems. The use of a water tank for storing the untreated water to be treated is known for appliances or filter apparatuses which are not connected to a water channeling system.
Appliances may include, for example, any beverage preparation machines, such as coffee, tea or drinking water preparation machines. Filter apparatuses may include, for example, table filter jugs or the like. Both suction operation and gravimetric operation are possible in principle in both cases. In the case of suction operation, a suction apparatus, for example a pump, is preferably provided. In the case of gravimetric operation, the untreated water to be filtered is conducted by the force of gravity, preferably from a first vessel into a second vessel which is arranged beneath said first vessel, it being possible for each vessel to be a tank, for example.
However, in addition to the manner of operation of the means treating the untreated water, the quality of the untreated water itself is also essential to the quality of the treated water. The means treating the untreated water can in part vary massively in terms of its composition, concentration and/or manner of operation, depending on the said quality of the untreated water and on the respective intended use. In order to ensure that only the operationally determined water treatment means can be used for the respective intended use, a filter cartridge connection apparatus can be provided on the tank, this filter cartridge connection apparatus exactly matching a specific, complementary connection structure of a filter cartridge-side tank connection element.